Finish for fabrics



J. M. MERROW. FINISH POB. FABRICS.

Patented Nov. 5. 1889.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH lll. MERROVV, OF IMERROV, CONNECTICUT.

FINISH FOR FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,236, dated November 5, 1889. Applicationled March 23, 1889. Serial No. 304,434. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.:

-Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. MERROW, of Merrow, in the county of Tolland and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Finish for Fabrics; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to a new and improved form or construction of an ornamental nish or border for fabrics and other materials, and is more especially designed for application to or use upon knit and other kinds of flexible goods.

In another application (Serial No. 304,255, filed March 22, 1889,) I have claimed the new article of manufacture formed by connecting a series of loops, stitches, threads, &c., to a base or foundation at or near the margin thereof and uniting the outer ends of said stitches, threads, loops, dto., by a series or chain of stitches formed from a supplemental thread and the present invention consists in a special form or construction of said finish or border as distinguished from the special form orconstruction specifically claimed insaid application, the same comprehending a variety of said finish, wherein a series of loops attached to and projected beyond the margin of the foundation-strip are connected together at a point beyond the said margin by a line or chain of stitches interlooped with the free ends of said loops, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents, on an enlarged scale, the structure of my improved finish. Fig. 2 illustrates the nish on a smaller scale and as applied to different forms or constructions of bases or foundation-strips.

Similar letters ofreference in the several figures indicate the same part-s.

The base-piece or foundation A of the finish, by which is meant the support upon which the finish is formed or held, may be of any suitable material, in the form of a strip, fold, ribbon, t-ape, cord, or chain, or line of stitches made separable from or applied to a fabric.

B designates the series of clusters or groups of stitches, threads, or loops applied to an edge or margin of the foundation A and connected together in scallop or shell-like form, each of said clusters being composed of a series of radiating loops l), projected from a point b on one side of the margin of the foundation, and a series of radiating loops b2, projected from substantially the same point on the opposite face of the foundation A. The outer ends of the loops b b2 are connected by a supplemental thread C, introduced or passing between each pair of loops b b2, as at 1 l,

a loop c of said thread C passing through and between the outer ends of said loops, as at 2 2, and interlooped with the next preceding loop c. By thus passing the thread C in loops through and between the loops Z) b2 and enchaining or interlooping said thread C beyond or outside the loops'b b2 the margin of the cluster is expanded or thickened by the bending of the outer portion of said loops, and at the same time the thread C is thrown more prominently upon the margin of the cluster.

In forming said improved finish the following mode of operation may be pursued: The main thread B is carried through the foundation-strip A several times at a point b. Each time the thread is so carried through the material a loop b2 is drawn from one side of and beyond the margin of the foundation A, to accomplish which operations a crochethook may conveniently be employed for forming the loops and an eye-pointed needle for carrying the thread. lThe supplemental thread C is drawn in the form of a loop from the side of the material opposite the loop b2 and is passed around the main thread, drawing the latter in the form of a loop b to approximately the same distance from the margin or edge of the fabric as the loop b2 was carried on the opposite side. The drawing of the loops?) by the supplemental thread is edected as the needle or thread is again carried through the material. The loop c of the supplemental thread is carried through the previouslyformed loop b2 and the preceding loop c. After a sufficient number of loops have thus IOO been formed from the main and supplemental threads the main thread is carried through the foundation A one or more times at a point suitably distant, thereby spreading the group or cluster of stitches in accordance with the method claimed in my application, Serial No.

260,573, filed January 7, 1888. The scallops thus produced will be formed from the main.

. cuted by a machine similar to that illustratgd in my application, Serial No. 249,491, filed September 12, 1887, modified or changed in the following particulars: The actuating devices for the crochet-hook should be so constructed as -to cause the hook to pass or skip the needle-thread when moving above the fabric (as by giving it a longer motion, so that the latch will pass the needle-thread) and grasp the supplemental thread alone, carrying a loop of the latter around the main or needle thread and toward or beyond the edge of the fabric. The tension upon the supplemental thread is greater than upon the needle-thread; hence when the loop of the supplemental thread is drawn toward or beyond the edge of the fabric and the needle again enters the latter it will draw theloop of the main thread to or beyond the edge of the fabric. The crochethook, carrying the loop of the supplemental thread, is reciprocated below the fabric and grasps and draws a loop b2, after which it again rises, still carrying the two loops, one from the supplemental and the other from the main threads, advances above the fabric, and grasps the supplemental thread, drawing a loop therefrom through the two loops carried on the hook. `When a sufficient number of stitches have been made to form the desired cluster, the fabric is fed forward while the needle is elevated and the last loop b2 is on the hook, and the operation repeated at another point. For convenience in forming the stitches of uniformsize and extending beyond the edge of the fabric they are drawn around a finger or plate, as in mybefore-mentioned machine.

It is obvious that, instead of connecting the clusters or scallops directly together, one or more stitches may be formed, or the enchained supplemental thread C otherwise attached to the fabric between contiguous clusters.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the edge or margin of the base or foundation A may be crocheted, overstitched, or otherwise re-enforced to strengthen or ornament it prior to, during,or after the application of myimproved finish. p

The main and supplemental threads used looped portions of the supplemental thread lying beyond the outer ends of the loops b b2, forming a margin or binding uniting the first and last stitches of contiguous clusters.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isv 1. As a new article of Y manufacture, the hereinbefore-described improved finish, consisting, essentially, of a base or foundation strip provided with a series of connected clusters or groups of stitches, each of said clusters being composed of a series of loops joined to the foundation at substantially the same point and extending on diverging lines, some of said loops extending from one side and others from the opposite side of the foundation, and being composed of a thread passing back and forth through said foundation, and a second line or chain of stitches engaging and uniting the outer or free ends of said series of loops, as set forth.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the hereinbefore-described improved finish for fabrics, the same comprising a base or foundation, a series of loops attached to said base at substantially the same point and radiating in pairs from opposite faces to or beyond the edge thereof, and a supplemental thread extending between said loops, a loop of said supplemental thread passing through and between the outer ends of each pair of loops and through or around the corresponding loop of the supplemental thread engaging an adjacent pair of radial loops, as set forth.

3. As a new article of manufacture, the hereinbefore-describedl improvedv finish for fabrics, the same consisting of a base or foundation, two series of loops formed of 'a single main thread passing back and forth through the base at substantially the same point and projected in pairs on radial lines to or beyond the margin of the base, and a second or supplemental thread passing between the two series of loops of the main thread and through and between the outer ends of each pair of loops of the main thread, those portions of the supplemental thread extending through the pairs of loops being interlooped or enchained, as set forth.

4. As a new article of manufacture, the

hereinbefore-described improved finish, consisting of a base or foundation, two or more groups or clusters of loops formed from a main thread, each of said clusters of loopsbein g composed of a series of pairs of loops projected from opposite sides of the fabric and attached to the latter at substantially the same point, and a supplemental thread uniting the outer ends of said loops of the main thread, said IOO IIO

loops and connecting adjacent clusters, substantially as set forth.

JOSEPH M. MERROW.

Witnesses:

JAMES E. FULLER, J. P. STORY. 

